Steam-governor



(ModeL) D. L. F. CHASE.

STEAM GOVERNOR.

No. 245,277. Patented Aug. 9,1881] fnvenf'or' Wz'intsns UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

DANIEL L. F. CHASE, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEAM-GOVERNOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,277, dated August 9, 1881.

Application filed November 19, 1880. (Model) I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL L. F. CHASE, of Somerville, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, have. invented a new and useful Improvement in Steam-Governors; and Ihereby declare that the following specification and the accompanying drawings give a full and correct; descrip tion of the same.

My present invention is an improvement upon the steam-governor for which I already hold Letters Patent No. 160,572, March 9, 1875,and No. 162,219, April20, 1875; and itconsists in a new form and arrangement of the valves, springs, 850., so as to secure greater efficiency, durability, and cheapness.

Figure l is a side View of the machine, with a partial vertical longitudinal section. The part of this drawing to the right of the section, consisting of the cover to the case A, bracket for supporting the shaft, packing-box, pulley, &c., are shown onlyin outline, and are not lettered nor described, because they do not directly concern the present invention. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical cross-section viewed from the side A, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is similar to themternal part of Fig. 2, but without any section, and with the valves opened out so as nearly to close the ports. I,

I retain the general principle of my original patent first above mentioned to the extent of using a chamber or case which contains a centrifugal mechanism consisting of a hollow revolving steam conductor or flier, a pair of centrifugal valves, and a spring or springs acting on said valves in opposition to the centrifugal force.

Referring to the drawings, A denotes the cylindrical case; B, the inclosed revolving flier; V V, the valves, and O the spring.

The central part of the flier B is a steampassage continuous with the inlet of the case at A, and the steam, after entering the flier,

- passes through the hollow arms, the ports 0 O,

and then out of the case at the bottom.

In my former patent the hollow arms constituting the valve-seats were made to support and guide the valves, and consequently, for ease of construction, were made preferably of cylindricalforni. Thisplan wasfound to cause undne'friction and a tendency to cramp if the two springs were not of the same strength. I

now makethe hollow arms each with two plane parallel valve-seats, and the valves, being boxshaped, fit over each side of the hollow arms and oscillate on their seats, each valve being supported by a single pivot near their ends, so as to move in arcs of circles. In Fig. 1 the upper arm and its valve V V are shown in section, the section being slightlyinclined from the vertical to suit the inclined position of the steam-passage. (Shown at B in the upperpart of Fig. 2.) The lower arm, B, and valve V, Fig. 1, are shown in elevation, as seen from the right of Fig. 2. Supposing the governor to be in the position shown in the figures, the two pivots D D, upon which the valves V V swing, Figs. 2 and 3, are both in a vertical plane on one side of the axis of revolution, so that a large part of the weight of the valves may be actuated by centrifugal force in a direction to close the ports 0 0. Also, in the plane of the pivots D D the valves have projections extending toward each other and in terlocking in a knuckle-joint, E, so that they are obliged to move together. Fig. 2 shows the valves V V closed together, so as to uncover the ports 0 0, while Fig. 3 shows the valves opened out, so as nearly to close the ports.

,Instead of the two hollow arms and boxvalves described, I may use two pairs of hollow arms with ports opening inward toward each other and solid block-valves playing between.

The spring (l employed is nearly semicircular in form, (commonly called a C-spring.)

It embraces about one-half the periphery of the valves, including their pivoted ends, and is so attached to said valves with reference to the pivots that it tends to press them together in opposition to the centrifugal force.

I prefer the C-spring, partly forits adaptation to the cylindrical form of the machine and partly forits graduating properties. Gradnation in asteam-governor means that a given change of speed causes a decreasing change of valve opening as the valve approaches closure. The more the Cspring is straightened out (applying the strain as I do) the less it will yield to a given amount of additional strain, which is the effect desired in connection with closing the governor-valves. A spiral spring stretches a fixed amount when a given additional strain is applied without reference to its previous tension.

My C-spring is preferably a wide strip of steel or other metal with a hole near each end, which holes receive suitable screws or pins on the valves. This method of attachment, though not essential, is convenient for the following purpose: If it is desired to change the speed of the engine by altering the tension of the spring, this object may be accomplished by using adjustingscrews S S, as shown. The spring 0, after slipping over the outer ends of the screws S S, rests upon shoulders on the same, so that by turning the screws outward the tension is increased, and vice versa.

The adjusting-screws S S may be altered by removing the internal parts of the governor from the case; or, as I prefer, they may be reached through a suitable hole in the case by removing a cap or plug, F.

It will be seen that my centrifugal valves, in combination with adjusting-screws, maybe used with various kinds of springs. If no change of speed is required, I would use fixed pins or studs instead of the screws S S.

Having snfliciently explained my invention, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a steam-governor composed of a chamber or case inclosin g a centrifugal mechanism, the combination of a hollow revolving flier with a pair of centrifugal box-valves, said valves being pivoted, jointed together, and actuated in one direction bya spring or springs, substantially as described, and for the purposes explained.

2. In a steam-governor composed of a case iuclosin g a centrifugal mechanism, the C- spring, in combination with a pair of centrifugal valves, said valves being pivoted to a hollow revolving flier, and the whole arranged substantially as described, and for the purposes explained.

3. A steam governor composed of a chamber inclosing a centrifugal mechanism, said mechanism consisting, essentially, of a hollow revolving flier, a pair of centrifugal valves, and a spring or springs provided with adjusting-screws, all arranged substantially as described, and for the purposes explained.

DANIEL L. F. CHASE.

Witnesses:

LEWSON E. CHASE, N. G. YOUNG. 

